The Chairman of the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) Minister Prof. Tissa Vitharana yesterday asserted that maximum power would be devolved to the North and East, in implementing the 13th Amendment while maintaining the unitary framework of governance.
“This certainly would not be the final proposal and will not be a universal panacea for all ills in the country. It will however be a firm and reliable foundation to build and develop a new Constitution for the Nation. It is a long-term process, requiring a step-by-step approach.
“We will strive to implement to the optimum, what we could, under the existing Constitution and mechanism, amending it where necessary,” Minister Vitharana said.
At a special media conference to brief journalists on the recent developments regarding the APRC, he underscored the importance of the outcome of the APRC draft proposals inked by 14 political parties which had met on 63 sessions over 18 months to resolve the ethnic conflict.
He was of the view that on the determined and relentless efforts of President Mahinda Rajapaksa to solve the national issue, an exemplary and a new political culture had been created by the stakeholders of the APRC, who had reached a 90 per cent consensus following lengthy discussions for long hours, setting aside personal and petty political gains for the sake of their Motherland.
He pointed out that some of the proposals need a two thirds majority in Parliament for implementation and therefore would need the assistance of the UNP too. The implementation of some of the proposals would need the mandate of the people via a referendum.
Higher Education Minister Wishva Warnapala expressing his views stated that the prime objective of the APRC proposals were to provide a permanent and sustainable solution to the national issue, as envisioned in the realistic ‘Mahinda Chintana’, protecting the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of the country.
The discussions and deliberations which filled a verbatim report of over 11,000 pages, could be considered as an intellectual property and the initial phase of a Constitution which has to be built up gradually.
“It is a proposal which strives to give a quick and instant response to the present political environment and burning issues in the North East, via the existing 13th Amendment. It would be a prelude built-up in an intellectual atmosphere, leading into a new Constitution. It is a classic beginning to a long process. They are in no way solely SLFP proposals as alleged by UNP Parliamentarian Lakshman Kiriella recently,” he added.
He claimed that issuing statements and slogans were easy tasks for certain political parties. Constructive criticism and the suggestions of suitable solutions for the issues were not forthcoming from them.
He said that an Interim Council would be established to expedite Eastern Development and to create a conducive environment to hold elections there. An Advisory Council including regional leaders selected and represented on a ethnic character, would be set-up to fulfil the aspirations of the minorities.
Issues such as ‘language’ which had been overlooked in the past, should be implemented to the very letter as per the 13th Amendment. EPDP Representative Maheswari Veluwethan, JHU Representative Udaya Gammanpila and several others also expressed their views.
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